In the Air Force:
Advanced Fighter Aircraft Integrated Avionics; Airborne Mission Systems Specialist Craftsman, C-32/C-40; Aircraft Armament Systems Helper; Avionics Test Station And Components Helper, A-10/B-2/C-17/CV-22/F-16/AFSOC Avionics Systems; Bomber/Special Integrated Communication/Navigation/Mission Systems Apprentice, B-52; Bomber/Special Integrated Instrument and Flight Control Systems Journeyman, B-2; Helicopter/Tiltrotor Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice; Mobility Air Forces Integrated Communication/Navigation/Mission Systems Helper, KC-135; Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory Journeyman; Special Operations Forces/Personnel Recovery (SOF/PR) Integrated Communication/Navigation/Mission Systems Apprentice; Tactical Aircraft Maintenance Journeyman, F-15
In the Army:
AH-64D Armament/Electrical/Avionics Systems Repairer; Air Defense (AD) Battle Management System Operator; Aircraft Components Repair Supervisor; Aircraft Electrician; Aircraft Structural Repairer; Automatic Test Systems Operator/Maintainer; Avionic Mechanic; Command and Control Systems Integrator; Electronic Missile Systems Maintenance Warrant Officer; UH-60 Helicopter Repairer; Unmanned Aircraft Systems Repairer
In the Coast Guard:
Aviation Maintenance Technician; Avionics Electrical Technician
In the Marine Corps:
Air Traffic Control Radar Technician; Aircraft Communications/Navigation/Radar System Technician, EA-6; Aircraft Intermediate Level Hydraulic/Pneumatic Mechanic; Communication/Navigation/Cryptographic/Countermeasures Systems Technician, IMA; Fixed-Wing Aircraft Airframe Mechanic-Trainee; Fixed-Wing Aircraft Mechanic, KC-130; Fixed-Wing Aircraft Safety Equipment Mechanic, F-35B; Helicopter Airframe Mechanic, UH/AH-1; Helicopter Power Plants Mechanic, T-400/T-700; Tiltrotor Airframe Mechanic, MV-22
Seen from the ground... the flight of a jumbo jet... or the launching of a space shuttle... can seem like magic. For the aerospace engineering and operations technicians who work on these modern marvels up close, these events are part of their everyday jobs. These technicians help ensure that aerospace engineers' experimental designs for air and space vehicles are feasible and can be implemented. Aerospace engineering and operations technicians build test facilities, then run tests on prototypes or new models to find problems in design or function. They record test data and make adjustments to prevent dangerous equipment failures. Making live tests function as intended requires both communication skills and technical skills. Often when something isn't working, technicians and engineers troubleshoot together, so technicians must know how to ask the questions that will lead to the right answers. Most aerospace engineering and operations technicians work full time in manufacturing plants, laboratories, and offices. In plants, technicians are directly involved in assembling aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft. Aerospace engineering and operations technicians typically earn an associate's degree in engineering technology. Security clearance may be required for work related to national defense. Proper execution of their duties is crucial both for safety and performance. In the end, it's these technicians who carry the weight of flight.
What they do:
Operate, install, calibrate, and maintain integrated computer/communications systems, consoles, simulators, and other data acquisition, test, and measurement instruments and equipment, which are used to launch, track, position, and evaluate air and space vehicles. May record and interpret test data.
On the job, you would:
Test aircraft systems under simulated operational conditions, performing systems readiness tests and pre- and post-operational checkouts, to establish design or fabrication parameters.
Identify required data, data acquisition plans, and test parameters, setting up equipment to conform to these specifications.
Inspect, diagnose, maintain, and operate test setups and equipment to detect malfunctions.
Engineering and Technology
mechanical
product and service development
Math and Science
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
physics
Manufactured or Agricultural Goods
manufacture and distribution of products
Business
customer service
Basic Skills
thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
reading work related information
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
People and Technology Systems
thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Verbal
communicate by speaking
listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
notice when problems happen
Visual Understanding
see hidden patterns
quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things
Attention
pay attention to something without being distracted
People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
Attention to Detail
Dependability
Analytical Thinking
Integrity
Adaptability/Flexibility
Initiative
You might use software like this on the job:
Program testing software
Bugzilla
JUnit
Object or component oriented development software
C++
Oracle Java
Data base user interface and query software
Microsoft SQL Server
Structured query language SQL
certificate after high school or associate's degree usually needed
In the military:
see titles from the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy.
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